(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")
"The good side of the bill is it would practically wipe out illegal immigration, due to the fact any one can come without having to jump the border."
This is the great irony. Bush has responded to the problem as a clever child might.
"The bad news is it would permanently change the national character of the country by absorbing so many newcomers without being assimilated into the American mainstream. We have always been welcoming of and have successfully made immigrants Americans. The question is whether we can make so many arrivals Americans in a short period of time."
Yes and I suspect you will understand that the answer is no. For one thing, we never forced earlier waves of immigrants to assimilate---they eagerly participated in the process. (though, admittedly, society was set up to encourage this---as it is increasingly less.) These people don't want to---and they won't.